Obesity results from the accumulation of intake energy in adipocytes as neutral fat in excess of consumption energy, and not only triggers various diseases such as arteriosclerosis, but also is cosmetically undesirable, so that its prevention and amelioration are strongly required. However, recent years have seen an increase in the obesity rate in the industrialized countries including our country year by year. The reason comes from overeating, lack of exercise, stress, and the like, but there are many people who cannot continue dietary restriction and exercise therapy, which require a strong will and long continuance.
This background has given rise to a wide range of development of lipolysis promoters effective in preventing and ameliorating the obesity. For example, there have been known a lipolysis promoter containing a plant or its extract selected from Juniperus communis, Rosa normalis, Rosa canina, Areca catechu, Polygala tenuifolia, Plantago asiatica, Jateorhiza columba, Stellera chamaejasme, Tropaeolum majus, Aristolochia manshuriensis, Myrica rubra Imperata cylindrica, Ligusticum sinense, Hemerocallis plicata, Betula platyphylla var. japonica, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Erodium stephanianum, Brassica hirta, Helianthus annuus, Glechoma hederacea, Lycium chinense, Sophora japonica, Homalomena occulta, Ficus carica, Pueraria thomsonii, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, chenopodium hybridum, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Juglans regia, Alpinia katsumadai, Prunus humilis Bunge, Gardenia jasminoides, Chrysanthemum indicum, Rubia cordifolia, Hedyotis diffusa, Lysimachia christinae, Schizonepeta tenuifolia, Portulaca oleracea, Angelica dahurica, and Polygonum aviculare as an active ingredient (See Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2005-60366), a lipolysis promoter comprising an extract of Zygophyllaceae Larrea as an active ingredient (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-35516), a lipolysis promoter comprising peels or leaves of citrus fruits or extracts therefrom (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-326947), a lipolysis promoter containing a Cirsium plant as an active ingredient (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 8(1996)-301780), a lipolysis promoter containing an extract of Geranium nepalense Sweet (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Gazette No. 3537671), a lipolysis promoter containing Tussilago farfara as an active ingredient (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Gazette No. 3306750), and a lipolysis promoter containing an immature green fruit of Piper nigrum-L. or Piper longum-L. as an active ingredient (for example, refer to Japanese Patent Gazette No. 3645608). However, these lipolysis promoters cannot necessarily be said to have a sufficient effect, and some of them are concerned to cause side effects (for example, refer to Experimental Biology and Medicine (2204), Volume 229, pages 698 to 704).
With the foregoing background, there is required further development of a lipolysis promoter having a satisfying effect of preventing and ameliorating obesity, and capable of safe usage.